Comedian Anita Asuoha, popularly known as Real Warri Pikin, has issued a public apology after a viral stage clip with singer Timaya drew sharp backlash and, by her own account, left her husband Ikechukwu upset.
The moment happened during Timaya’s performance of his song “Ukwu,” a number he often uses to call a woman on stage, lift her, and work the crowd. A video of Warri Pikin joining him circulated over the weekend. Online critics accused her of crossing a line as a married woman. Some claimed she ran at the singer while he tried to keep his distance.
She answered in a selfie-style video taking the blame and asking for forgiveness.
“I beg, please don’t be angry with me. I take full responsibility. Forgive me, please. I brought this upon myself. I didn’t know if Timaya performs his song, he must bring on a woman to carry. I was backstage vibing when I heard him call for a woman to come perform with him and as the vibe Queen that I am, I obliged,” she said.
She said the lift was not her idea.
“That’s when he told me I would jump on his body, and I said I couldn’t do it. I was very reluctant, but he said I was the one who came outside, so I shouldn’t spoil his performance.”
She pushed back on one of the loudest claims on X.
“Please, do not be angry at me. I’m seeing on Twitter where some are saying Timaya was keeping his distance, but I ran to him. It’s not so. If you watch the full video, you’ll see where I was trying to refuse. Please, I’m sorry. I won’t do that again. That was out of character.”
She said Ikechukwu is angry with her, highlighting that she is in America and the distance makes the tension harder.
“Like this now, Ikechukwu is angry with me and you know I’m in America. He’s too far.”
She admitted the stage felt fun in the moment and ugly online.
“It was very funny and entertaining on stage, but online it wasn’t funny. There are times you find yourself in some awkward situation, and yesterday was one of them. I owe you guys this apology because I understand where you’re coming from. Not everything is hate speech. Some people are just genuinely concerned,” she said.